The Call
by BonesBird
Summary: The feelings in the call SPOILER FOR 5x09 "100"


**Title: The Call  
****Author: BonesBird  
****Summary: The feelings in the call SPOILER FOR 5x09 "100"  
****Disclaimer: I don't own this. Well. Criminal Minds. I own the way I put it together.  
****Lyrics: When I Die - New Found Glory**

**For anyone who doesn't know, I'm OBSESSED with the episode 100. I have seen it over 100 times (that sounds over-obsessive, I know) and this little idea came while watching it. I had the call on repeat while I wrote this. I don't really know if its good or not. Its up to you guys to tell me that.**

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_When I die  
I'll be fine  
Coz I know  
You're always there _

"_Foyet"  
_With that line her heart broke. She realised he had duped her. She hadn't recognized him when he said he was really George. Sam had never called him George. Nor had Aaron. They had never mentioned him by his first name. She looked around, and saw the glint in Foyet's eye as he played with Jack

"_Aaron, you're OK?"  
_He broke. In that second he knew that Foyet hadn't been bluffing that he'd found a way in. Haley sounded terrified. He hoped Jack didn't realise what was going on yet. The last thing they needed was their son to know. He was scared, and so was she. He clamped down on his emotions before he replied.

"_I'm fine"  
_She was less confused now. She knew for sure that this man was a bad guy. He had lied about Aaron's death, she hope he was lying about Sam. She suddenly felt full of remorse for everything that had happened between her and Aaron. Everything from their separation onwards. She knew that she would not be leaving this house again. Not while she was breathing at least.

"_But… he said that… oh Aaron"  
_Hotch could barely stand to listen to her. He blamed himself for this. What if he had taken Foyet's deal, back in Boston. He had done the best thing at the time. Now he wasn't sure. He had but Haley, and Jack, straight into the path of danger. He signed up for his job, she didn't.

"_He can hear us, right"  
_She knew him well enough to hear the concern in his voice, She hoped he had something up his sleeve, that he was nearby. That he would swoop in and save Jack. She was less concerned with her own survival than she was for Jack's. She was sure Aaron wouldn't willing let anything happen to their son.

"_Yes. I'm so sorry"  
_She wasn't the one who should be apologising. He was. Her predicament, Jack's predicament, was all his fault. Foyet was after him, not them. But that hadn't mattered in the end. He wondered if he could have done anything differently, if he could have persued Foyet harder, if he could have kept a closer eye on him first time round. Foyet was "The Reaper" and he knew that he had a plan for his family.

"_Haley. Show him no weakness, no fear"  
_She wiped a tear. She remembered what Sam had told her. She held onto her emotions. She didn't understand how he did this, everyday. She knew he cared for every victim. Every person affected by the criminals he fought, who he caught. Every capture was a victory, but every capture also took away a part of him, and she was unsure if he'd ever get it back.

"_I know. Sam told me all about him. Is he… erm"  
_Hotch couldn't tell her the truth. He wanted her to believe that she could get out of this. He shook slightly as he thought of how this was likely to end. He thought back over everything he had ever done for her. Everything he had done against her. He had chosen his job. his job over her and Jack. He would regret that decision

"_No, Sam is fine"  
_She knew he was lying, she knew he was trying to protect her feelings, she was grateful for that one last lie. He had promised to spend the rest of his life making it up to her. He'd said his life. Not hers. Hers was looking short, but she knew he'd make it up to her. He'd save Jack. She was sure of it.

"_Aaron, Aaron, Aaron, is that why your marriage broke up? Because you're a liar"  
_Foyet had spoken to him. He had to decide, in a second, whether to acknowledge Foyet or to continue talking to Haley. He knew the best thing would be to continue talking to Haley. His mind made the decision to talk to the woman was the love of his life.

"_Don't listen to him Haley"  
_She tried to block Foyet's words out. She focussed on Jack, playing with a toy on the table, and on the sound of Aaron's voice on the other end of the phone. She realised from the sounds he was driving. She was sure he knew where they were.

"_I have Sam's service phone right here, they sent out a mass text about his death, you can take a look if you want"  
_How was he to reassure her now, what if she chose to look at Sam's phone. She probably knew he was lying. But he didn't want her to see the proof that would contradict words he'd said to reassure her. The last thing he wanted was for her to lose hope. For herself, for Jack, for him.

"_He's trying to scare you"  
_She knew he was right. She knew Foyet was trying to scare her. Cause her to lose faith in Aaron and his team. If he was on his way she knew his team wouldn't be far behind. They would save Jack. Even if they were too late for her.

"_Did you even tell her what this was about, about the deal"  
_Foyet was goading him, and it was succeeding. He was the one getting angry. He wouldn't show it, he was going to try to remain detached, to talk to Haley and ignore what Foyet was saying. He was going to try to reassure her every chance he got. The last thing he wanted was for her to think he didn't love her.

"_He's trying to make you angry"  
_She shuddered at the words. She was angry. But not at him. Not at Aaron. She was angry at ever killer, every bad guy, that he had ever chased. She was especially angry at the man who sat on the floor, only a table away from her son. Their son.

"_Well she should be. She's going to… D.I.E because of your inflated ego"  
_He said it, and nobody but Haley would be able to tell by his voice that his emotions broke. Foyet had just told him that he was going to kill Haley. Probably Jack as well unless he got there in time to stop it. His mind played over every bad outcome this day could have. Worst case scenarios were always forefront of his mind.

"_Ignore him Haley"  
_How was she supposed to ignore him. This man had just confirmed that she wasn't going to make it out of this house, that she wasn't going to make it out of this day. She wasn't going to see another sunrise. Unless Aaron arrived soon. She hoped more for her son than for her. If her death meant Foyet couldn't get Jack, her death was worthwhile.

"_I'm sure you don't want her to know this part either, you know all he had to do was stop looking for me and you wouldn't be in this mess"  
_She knew now. Why she and Jack had been in danger, and he had never felt worse about not telling her part of his job. He knew she shouldn't have to go through this. This wasn't how she should be spending the last minutes of her life. She should be spending it surrounded by family, at a ripe old age. His job had robbed her of that.

"_Don't react"  
_She clamped down on the emotions running through her mind. She felt let down by him. But she still couldn't bring herself to be angry with him. She could have hated him when they divorced, but she didn't, she couldn't. She loved him, and she knew that he loved her. She held her face straight, though she couldn't help her eyes welling up

"_What is he talking about"  
_He wanted to clarify for her, but he couldn't. He didn't know how to explain. Instead he thought of a plan to save Jack. He only hoped the 4 year old would remember. The game. They had played it before, and he had told him that if he ever asked Jack to work the case that that is where he should go.

"_Tell Jack I need him working the case"  
_She was confused, how could a 4 year old work a case. Jack looked towards her, and she guessed that Aaron had thought of a way to save Jack. She smiled down at her little boy, who was so much like his father.

"_What?"  
_He had never explained to her what he had told Jack. How much he had tried to impart onto the boy in case a situation like this had ever occurred, he wished it hadn't, and that everything about hiding he'd ever taught Jack would never be needed. In his profession, he had to be prepared, especially with his son.

"_Tell Jack I need him working the case"  
_She held the phone out to him, and smiled as he ran over. Trying not to make him any more frightened than he must already be. She had been glad, in a way, that Foyet hadn't outright told her son that he was going to be in the house when she died. She hoped he wouldn't have to see that.

"_Jack, did you hear that"  
"Hi daddy"  
_He suddenly felt more afraid, his son was on the end of the phone, in a room with a man who had killed numerous people. The last thing he wanted was Jack to know the problems with his job. It had been bad enough when Foyet had been to his apartment, but in Jack and Haley's home, he didn't know how his son would recover.

"_Hi buddy"  
_She heard the strain underneath the calmness of his voice. She didn't know how else to protect either her son or her ex-husband. She stood with him as he brought the phone to his mouth and looked around the room, she once again wiped a tear, this time for the innocence that could be taken from Jack this day.

"_Is George a bad guy?"  
_Asked, so calmly, out of his 4 year old son, it was all Hotch could do not to speed more than he already was. He would protect his son, however he could. He would try to protect Haley, but there was every chance he wouldn't get there in time for her.

_"__Yes he is, Jack, I need you on this case with me. Do you understand? I need you to work the case with me"  
_She watched as the little boy showed signs of understanding. She realised that Jack and Aaron had clearly talked about a hiding place and a code. She realised that with Aaron's job he had probably been teaching Jack hiding places since the minute he could understand. She was glad for that.

"_OK daddy"  
_Agent Hotchner ceased to be for that moment. He was Aaron, a father and a husband. He wasn't sure how he could separate it now. He had to know, he had to be sure that Jack understood, but he couldn't ask anymore without telling Foyet where Jack's hiding place was. He had one request of his son. One thing he wished he could do for himself.

"_Jack, hug your mom for me"  
_Her eyes filled up. She knew why Aaron was asking him to do that. She wished it was Aaron giving her a hug, but at least she would get one last hug off her son. One last hug for him to remember her by. They had made a video diary while in protection, she hoped Aaron would keep them, so that Jack wouldn't ever forget the sound of her voice.

"_Mommy hug me too tight."  
"__I'm sorry"  
_Aaron knew the time was coming. He could feel it down the line. He hoped that Jack couldn't feel the tension. Haley's voice as she'd told their son she was sorry had torn his heart to shreds. She hadn't meant for holding him too tightly, she had been saying an apology that she wouldn't be there for the rest of his life. She wouldn't see him grow up. He was sorry for that too"

"_Why are you sad"  
_Haley's heart broke as her son asked her that question. He was so perceptive. She was sure he had gotten that from his father. She felt others pain, but she certainly wouldn't have been able to ask at his age. She loved her son, and her ex-husband. She wanted those to be the last words he remembered her saying.

"_I just love you so much"  
_Aaron realised she wasn't only saying that to her son, she was saying that to him too. He knew she still loved him. They'd never fallen out of love. The problem in their lives had been his dedication to his job, his dedication to protecting others, rather than protecting himself. He would take back all the angry words he had said to her in an instant if he could.

"_Mom, I gotta go, I'm working the case"  
_Haley finally broke, her tears full in her eyes. She hadn't felt as bad as she did now, watching her son exit the room. She didn't know where he was going, she knew she wasn't going to see him again. She hoped that the hiding place was good

"_OK"  
"__He's so cute, like a little junior G-man, I'll be right out Jacky-boy"  
_Aaron wanted to drop the phone, and forget what was happening on the other end of the line. He wanted to transport his family a million miles away, or he wanted to have never heard of "the reaper" or "George Foyet" but he knew that wishes wouldn't help. He had to find out, he had to stay on the line. He had to let her have her last words to him.

"_Is he gone"  
_She almost wept as she heard the emotion in his voice. She held herself in check, although her tears had already begun to fall. She didn't know how to stop them. She felt Foyet move around her, behind her. She focused on holding the phone, on Aaron's voice down the line

"_Yes"  
_He was glad Jack wouldn't see or hear what he needed to say to his mother. There were things no child should ever need to hear that he wanted to say to Haley. He needed her to know how sorry he was. His tears were forming faster than he could catch his breath. He was holding the steering wheel in a death grip. Determined to get there before anything could happen.

"_You're so strong Haley, you're stronger than I ever was"  
_Though she felt strengthened to hear those words, she also felt deflated. He was saying his goodbye. Her last hopes of being saved fell to the floor. She knew he'd be in time for Jack. Admitting she was stronger than him was undoubtedly hard for Aaron, but she could hear the truth of feeling, the depth of the feeling he held for her in those four words.

"_You'll hurry right?"  
_Her question was rhetorical. She knew he'd be there the second he could be. He would save Jack. He knew that and she knew that. They both knew he'd be too late for her. She knew she was facing the last minutes of her life, and he wanted her to know she wouldn't be forgotten. He wanted her to know that she would always be on his mind.

"_I know you didn't sign on for this…"  
_She knew she hadn't either. But this outcome, this monster who was behind her, was something he hadn't signed on for either. He had always tried to protect them. She knew he had never wanted to put her or Jack in any kind of danger. He had always tried to do what was not only best for himself and his team, but for them, his family, as well.

"_Neither did you"  
_Her words would haunt him for the rest of his life. With that one line she was showing her forgiveness for all that had happened, and her faith that he would care for Jack as best he could. He hoped he could live up to the standard she had set. Jack was an amazing little boy, and Aaron would be sure to help him become an amazing adult.

"_I'm sorry for everything"  
_She allowed herself to be afraid. She allowed herself to feel every emotion she had been trying to hide since the start of the call. She wanted to tell him what she wanted for Jack. What she felt Aaron would need to help Jack become a great man. A man like his father.

"_Promise me that you will tell him how we met, and how you used to make me laugh"  
_Aaron didn't know how to do that. He would be a broken man from the minute this call ended. Without Haley in his life he would have little to live for. Jack would be it. In this moment he wasn't even sure if he was going to go back to his job, to his team. He knew they'd all be there for him, but he wasn't sure if he'd have the strength to do this all alone.

"_Haley"  
_She wouldn't be dissuaded now, she wouldn't let him get her off track. He needed to do these things, for their son. She would make sure she told him exactly what the most important thing for their son was. She wanted him to be able to love again, after she was gone. He was so warm, he just had trouble showing it. She knew that he would find her last requests hard. She felt the gun at the back of her neck and swallowed hard

"_He needs to know that you weren't always so serious, Aaron. I want him to believe in love because it is the most important thing. Promise me"  
_He couldn't help his tears. He couldn't help the incontrollable shaking of his arms. He was glad the road was largely deserted, he could feel the car weaving, he could feel himself losing the last shreds of control he had. The woman he loved was saying a final goodbye, and giving him her final requests, and they were requests he wasn't sure he knew how to honour.

"_I promise"  
_She was relieved to hear those words, and as she breathed harder she thought over everything she'd never see. She wouldn't see Jack start grade school, middle school, high school, college. She'd never meet his girlfriends, or his future wife. She'd never meet her grandchildren, she'd never meet his future friends. She'd never know what he'd become. She thought of Aaron. She'd never see him again. Never tell him how she never stopped loving him. She'd never be able to say a proper goodbye to him, never be able to tell him to love again. She'd never again see her son and his father bonding, she'd never see the silly games they'd make up. She'd never hear him sing her "happy birthday" again, or have him wish her a "happy mother day". She mourned for the moments she'd miss. She mourned for the fact her son would now grow up without a mother. She mourned for Aaron, and how his tortured soul would unlikely ever heal.

She mourned for them all.

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**And to the end are my favourite quotes used in the show**

_**"Sometimes there are no words. No clever quotes to neatly sum up what's happened that day. Sometimes the day just ends"**_

_**"Where we love is home, home that our feet my leave but our hearts do not"**_

_**"Scars show us where we've been, they don't have to dictate where we're going"**_

_**"So much of what is best in us, is bound up in our love of family, that it remains the measure of our stability, because it measures our sense of loyalty"**_

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**If you've read it, review it. Please. This story is sad, I know, and its been plaguing me for weeks to be written. I'm sure other stories have been written about this, but I hope mine stands out.**

**Thank you all so much for reading.**


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